In Safe Hands
by Detective Girl 2005
Summary: It was the 19th Century and I was the apprentice of Sir Fay D. Flourite for my first and only year to one day  travel and learn the mysteries of the world  until I would meet a girl that was full of mysteries herself waiting for me to meet her.SXS
1. A Memorable meeting

**In Safe Hands**

_It was the year 1898 and I was settled into my small housing by the University in Leblac, off the east coast of Southern Africa, to take the opportunity to be the apprentice of a widely known professor, Sir Fay D. Flourite. A man that was always unusually calm throughout situations and a past that to this day is some unlikely mystery to me. He knew things that were beyond my imagination and has been to places where no man has ventured before. He had the chance to delve into the unknown places of the world and bring it back to civilization to teach people who were secluded in their country and some that haven't been at least thirty miles away from their homes and families. I went to him as a pupil to hopefully someday myself travel the world and become a man of years worth of knowledge and he gladly accepted me planning to send me off on the right foot._

_It began with receiving many books to read and lectures to sit through, intensive studying and a lot of mind turning philosophies. That's how it was for the first year and only year with him, until one day my studies were going to be put to the test for just one girl._

" Syaoran-kun! Do you mind if you could go into town and pick up some things for me?"

Automatically my head snapped up from my paper that I was writing after a long lecture that was given today, _**the history and science of man kind**_, such a debatable and dangerous topic that could spark fire between the highest educators and scientists. I set my pen down, my lips curling into a smile, excited that I was finally going to be able to take a break from my ten thousand word essay, about twelve good pages where man has gone since the beginning of time, that can be at the very least a tedious and grueling thing to set yourself through.

_" _Of course, sir!" I chimed out, scooting my chair away from the wood desk, grabbing my black frock coat that hung on the back of my chair and took a look at my pocket watch that sat in the side of my trousers. I whistled at the time, "Five o'clock already..", I spent a good seven hours writing today. I truly did need a break and maybe something to eat, placing a hand over my stomach to quiet the growling that sounded from the empty depths of it.

I knocked twice on the office door and received an " Come in." , and entered into Fay's small quarters that seemed even smaller from the amount of books that were stacked around and behind him. In every corner there were at least ten books built up, and where he sat behind his large oak desk, covered in papers and letters, there were nearly hundreds of small, large, old, new, roughed, and torn books that sat neatly arranged in his ten foot tall bookcase. Any book you could think of, he probably had it, covering geography, animals, people, and even adventure books ( those were his leisure time readings). Not only did books crowd his room, but artifacts, rare and never before seen ones that he collected from all over the world. His most treasured artifact was in a rectangular glass container obtaining a snow white feather, so white that it seemed it almost had a glow to it, with a red shape inscribed onto it resembling a heart.

I have only seen it once while my stay here for he keeps it somewhere safe that even I do not know of so nothing could ever happen to it. Probably because he doesn't quite trust me around it just yet.

I walked in closing the door behind me and sat in the small chair he waved me towards . He smiled gently at me, sitting down a letter he received today, and pushed his frameless glasses up on the bridge of his nose, his crystal blue eyes as calm as ever and slid a piece of white parchment with four things written on it.

" Syaoran-kun, I need you to do me a favor and buy me more paper, a blotter and pen set, a quill pen, and of course some pencils today so we can have something to work with for tomorrow's lecture."

Fay then plopped a medium sized leather bag in the palm of my hand, quite hefty at first, that I grabbed a hold of and tucked into the inside pocket of my coat.

" And that should do it for you. While your out you are more than welcome to use the money to grab yourself something to eat, and also maybe bring your teacher something back too? "

His smile grew and gave me a wink. I knew that he meant to bring back his favorite drink, black berry brandy, that he at times let me indulge into. I could handle alcohol fairly well, but usually slept it off, and he……hum, let's say Professor was as laid back as ever when he had more than his fill.

" Will do.", I replied smiling, lifting myself from my seat and headed towards the door.

Fay then stood up as well tugging down on his olive green waist coat and looked at his gold pocket watch and raised his eyebrows.

" Wow, didn't know it was getting this late. Don't be out to long Syaoran-kun, there are people around here I still don't quite trust, especially when your carrying money like that."

He indicated this with his finger by pointing at the bulge on the left breast of my coat. Visible that I had some sort of cash on me, and totally open to lurkers and street thieves.

I nodded and gave him a reassuring smile, " I'll be fine, sir.", then unfolded my cap that was in my trousers pocket and placed it over my head and walked out.

The sun was beginning to lower in the horizon, the sky becoming a little dimmer, while walking out on the stone pavement that led into the town that seemed to hardly ever die down with life. Some event was happening today where contestants worked to build aircrafts that they would run off a building with and plunge into a river below. The object of the contest was to see who's aircraft could survive the longest in the air, and watching this I winced from seeing one man land roughly into the water and a crowd of people as well as a doctor rushing in to see if the poor guy was still alive.

" Ouch…" I murmured to myself watching the man, red top to bottom from the impact in the water and his leg twisted back in a fashion you knew that wasn't right, being carried away on stretcher.

I headed into my first store to retrieve the text book Fay had ordered five months ago, something about ancient royalties, probably what we were going to study next. The man behind the counter with bottle eyed glasses smiled warmly at me as I walked in.

" Why hello there, Syaoran-kun! Here for Fay again?"

" As always.", I smiled pulling out a couple pieces of silver from my coat pocket. Quite a few people knew that I was an apprentice to Professor Fay from all the errands I did for him.

" Here you are boy! Just came in today, at the crack of dawn! To think that early for a book!" , he grinned handing me the deep purple leather book.

" It must be good then." , I replied receiving a chuckle from the seller.

" Make sure you give the Professor my greetings, okay boy?"

" I will, sir." , I waved while heading out of the store.

I examined the purple leathered book in my hands once I was outside. Turning it over in my hands from front to back then opened it up to see that the pages were brittle and yellow from age. I burrowed my eyebrows together in confusion, just why would Professor buy something this old? And for _that_ much of money.

Oh well, it was useless trying to figure this man's intentions sometimes, he always seemed a bit out of the ordinary. I flipped through the pages, each of having history of ancient royalties that dated all the way back in the period of B.C.

I began reading about ancient dynasties in China starting in the Zhou Period, something that was beginning to catch my interest and continued falling in depth about the animal bones they used as a source of communication as I made my way towards my next store.

I have a horrible habit of reading wherever I go when I am into a book, and walking and reading at the same time without any prior knowledge of what is in front of me has wound me up in many painful situations. Especially this one that was about to happen, even though I could hardly recollect how it _did_ happen though.

" Move! Move! _**Move out of the way**_!! "

I didn't realize it coming but the next thing I knew I was knocked off my feet and had ended up on the ground, completely winded by some forceful object that now sat right on top of me as I hung my head backwards in pain.

" Ow….", I moaned out, slowly lifting my head off the ground that took much effort from the position I was in, not to mention the pain. Two hands cupped the sides of my head and gingerly brought it up even more making me grunt.

" Oh no! I'm _so_ sorry! Are you okay?!", a voice filled with worry and embarrassment called out.

" I'm fine…." I groaned out, my head throbbing from meeting the pavement. I placed my hand over my forehead, the pain not seceding. My hand was then gently removed and my eyes met with wide jade green ones filled with compassion staring down at me.

" Your not fine...", she softly said.

Her look of concern made me gulp at the large knot in the back of my throat . I had never seen such beautiful eyes before, and I was at lost with words now that a girl had practically fallen into my arms and was deeply worried with me. I can have the knowledge of a high level educator, have the ability to graduate and receive a medical degree in my pocket, know every country and continent, their population, and culture like the back of my hand, and still be at lost to do or say with a girl.

**" **S-sorry..", she looked embarrassed again noticing that she was sitting on me and quickly removed her place . She then quickly stood up and offered her hand out to me with a warm smile that made my face flush red.

" Can you stand?", she asked watching me stare at her hand.

" Y-yes!" I stuttered out grabbing a hold of her as she helped me stand up.

I wanted to ask her name, but before I could she grabbed her shoulder bag that fell on the ground and picked up my cap and book putting it in my hands without a word and smiled sadly at me reaching out to gingerly touch the back of my head that made me wince.

" I'm very sorry again, please be safe and go home and get that bump checked will you?", she smiled even more watching my cheeks rose with color as I slowly nodded my head in agreement.

" Thank you.", she replied, her voice filled with relief, and her smile even more beautiful than before that made me catch my breath in my throat.

Just who _was_ this girl?

I was about to never find out when she then briskly walked past me as I stood there in a sort of shock before I shooked it off and grabbed her wrist to make her turn around and look at me with surprise.

" W-wait! Please, tell me your name!", I had to know, I wasn't about to let someone like her just walk out of my life like that.

Her eyes avoided mine as she looked into the distance over my shoulder, the alluring color in her face draining with fear as a bead of sweat rolled down from her forehead.

" I'm sorry, but I really need to go right **now.**", her hand trying to push my grasp on her away.

I stared at her, my gaze hardening, realizing something was not right from the way she looked past me and towards the crowd of people. My clasp on her wrist only tightened when I noticed from the corner of my eye three mysterious men in all black suit with black top hats peered among groups of people as if looking for someone or something.

" Those men are chasing you aren't they?", I flatly remarked watching her fear grow as she grew was more desperate to break from my grip.

" Yes! _**Please**_, let go now!" she cried out in a whisper to be not heard too loudly.

" No."

" What?!", her face screwed up in shock and irritation.

Without a word I took her arm and dragged her into a alleyway that caught the three men's attention and they soon started pushing through the crowd to reach us as we ran faster.

" Why are you doing this!?" she wailed running alongside of me.

I simply smiled at her, " It wouldn't be right of me to leave a girl being chased down by suspicious men helpless, would it?"

She didn't reply and she couldn't knowing I was right, but only turned her head away from me her red face trying to hide behind her honey brown hair.

" Just trust me.", and that was all I wanted from her, even though it's not everyday you meet a total stranger and are working with them in a exciting yet _extremely_ dangerous chase.

I looked ahead of me and saw the docking port where boats came in to drop off cargo for large stores and warehouses. We darted to the left and I dragged her down behind stacks of cargo boxes that were filled with something that smelled completely foul. I quietly peered my head up over the boxes to see if anyone was still on our tail and relaxed slipping back down when no one was around or near us.

The girl beside me resting her back against the boxes closed her eyes and sighed, her chest heaving up and down. I got to have another look at her now, she did have amazing jade eyes that matched perfectly with her green satin spencer and white laced scarf around her neck, white muslin skirt and her lime green boots. She had neck length honey brown hair with bangs that almost fell into her eyes and as she pushed a strand of hair behind her right ear when turning to look at me, she had completely caught me off guard while ogling her like some idiot.

She smiled when I immediately looked towards the ground instead of her, feeling my face heat up in sheer embarrassment.

" Sorry.." I mumbled out, now that I was caught staring at her the whole environment around her and I seemed to turn awfully awkward until I heard her say, " Thank you."

I looked up at her again, my face perplexed. " Huh?"

This time it was her, her cheeks now rosé in color, as she looked away avoiding my eyes as she smiled softly.

" Thank you for helping me…..", she then looked at me, as if waiting, before I caught on and stuck out my hand for her to shake.

" Syaoran.", I smiled as she gingerly took the offered hand and shook it with a chuckle.

" Nice to meet you Syaoran. My name is Sakura."

" Beautiful name, just like the flowers, cherry blossoms…", I said unconsciously without my knowing out loud, right in front of her. Her cheeks reddened even more as her smile stretched with happiness.

Oh gosh, great way to look like a fool in front of a girl, I mentally kicked myself as I apologized again.

" It's okay.", her smile not fading, and contagious of that too. I couldn't help but return the smile back at her when one of those men decided to show up right in front of us looking side to side unaware that we were behind him hiding. I placed a hand over Sakura's mouth and placed my finger over my lips. He hadn't seen us yet, but before I would let him I quietly stood up raised my leg in the air until I released it to snap at the backside of the man's head that sent him lunging forward to the ground.

Sakura gasped as I jumped over the boxes to check if he was still mobile, but luckily he was out of it for the moment. I looked back towards her and nodded my head telling her it was safe for now.

" If there is one of them, that must mean the other two aren't too far behind. We should go now."

I then lifted my hand out towards her that she openly accepted, sliding her smaller one in squeezing mine, and I clasping my fingers around hers.

" Right." she replied, her eyes fearless as she looked into mine.

We then darted down straight on the dock to go into another alleyway that would lead to the stone path back to the Professors house. About to enter into that alley way, another one of those men stepped out looking down at us but before he could even move to do anything I swung Sakura behind me and threw my fist as hard as I could between his eyes sending him backwards hitting his head first on the pavement and ran past him.

Once out of the alleyway I looked left to right seeing no one else around except the crowd of people and began my run towards the small university that the Professor lived in.

-------------------

Rushing the both of us through the door, I shut it and locked it down, and immediately went towards the arched window on the far right side and peered out to see that the last man didn't see us nor follow us.

I let out a sigh in relief and reached for Sakura's hand again and led her towards the small office where Fay now was standing out of.

"Oh my, not only did Syaoran-kun get those items but he also found a cute girl?", he chuckled.

" Fay-san, this girl is in trouble. Three men were chasing her and we managed to escape two, yet we don't know about the last man.", my eyes hardening, hoping that I do find him so he couldn't come after Sakura again later.

The Professor's face soon turned serious, looking towards Sakura with his calm blue eyes.

" Are you okay, young lady?"

Sakura nodded, a small smile on her face.

" Yes, thank you."

Fay smiled lightly again. " I'm glad Syaoran-kun was able to protect you then."

" Me too.", she smiled this time towards me that I kindly returned, her hand still in mine.

" Syaoran-kun…", Fay's smile faded again, his voice filled with a serious tone once again. " Did you get to see what they looked like?"

I nodded, " Yes, they were in all black uniforms with black top hats and an unusual red symbol of a bat stitched into the rim of the hat."

I watched the Professors eyes harden as if he remembered a bad memory, I wondered if he knew them. He then looked at Sakura his voice still perfectly calm.

" Young lady, do you know why they were chasing you?"

Sakura's eyes drifted towards the ground ,she hesitated to answer as her hand slightly shook in mine.

" I don't know why…", she only replied.

Fay's serious face remained unmoved as he continued to look at her. " Ah, I see. By the way young lady, what is your name?"

She looked back up at him and replied, " Sakura." and the Professor nodded his head, his serious tone turning back into his usual expression, his blue eyes calm again, and a smile on his lips.

Once again I knew, out of sheer instinct, the Professor knew something. Especially since I caught, for the slight second, his eyes widen with fear once hearing Sakura's name before they became calm again.

" A cute name for a cute girl! Nice to meet you Sakura-Chan, I am Fay the one helping your friend become a man of great knowledge as well as the Professor of this small humble university!"

Sakura's smile returned on her face, looking up at me with excitement.

" Oh?"

I smiled down at her, " Yes, I am planning to one day hopefully be a professor myself and travel at great lengths to study the unknown mysteries of the world."

" Wow, that's amazing Syaoran-kun!" her face filled with excitement.

" You think so?" I chuckled, watching her head bob up and down fervently.

" Of course! I'm sure Syaoran-kun can do it, anyone can do anything if they set their mind to it. Just like how you got me through today!", her smile took me aback, feeling once again my face warm up again. That smile, it was something else…..

Fay laughed in the background and my blush increased and quickly diverted the embarrassing situation by noticing something rustle in Sakura's shoulder bag and even, if not my imagination, whimper.

"Ah, Miss Sakura! I think something is moving in your bag….", I pointed out, watching the bag move even more.

Sakura gasped and let out an " Oh no!" and jumped to set her bag on the ground and open it to reveal a small, rather fat, white creature with long ears to appear and immediately clamber up into her arms.

" Moko-chan! I'm so sorry, are you alright?!", Sakura cried out hugging the small thing to her bossom.

"Moko-chan?", Fay and I echoed in unision as we stared in disbelief at the weird looking creature.

" Don't worry! Mokona is fine, but what were you doing to make me roll around so much! It felt like a roller coaster and it was scary!"

" It talks!", I yelped watching with my wide eyes as the creature was snuggled against Sakura's cheek as she apologized over and over again to it.

" My, my!" , Fay said, quite intrigued with the whole thing. I watched Fay walk over to Sakura and the white creature and kneel down to where they sat on the floor.

" Sakura-chan, just who may this be?", Fay said smiling at the small creature who then popped out of Sakura's grasp and landed into the palm of Fay's hand with a large smile on its face.

" I'm Mokono! Sakura's guide and helper! Who are you?"

Fay laughed, " My name is really long, but you can call me Fay! Nice to meet you Mokona!"

The small white creature then turned towards me, smiled brightly, and then before I knew it flew into the air and plopped down onto my head.

" What's your name, wide eyed boy?"

How the? My eyes rolled up to meet that small creature leaning over my head with that same large smile on its face as I stood with my mouth hung open still flabbergasted with what this thing was.

And just why it was on my head…..

" Eh , ah..I'm Syaoran."

I looked towards Sakura with quizzical look but she just nodded with a chuckle.

" Nice to meet you Syaoran! I'm Mokona! I remember hearing your voice when I was going 'wheeee' on my roller coaster ride in the bag!"

I looked at the small white paw that was stuck out towards my face that was for me to shake and shook my head and laughed taking the small paw in my index finger and thumb and shook it.

" Nice to meet you too, Mokona."

Now I have something to research and document. My first encounter with some sort of disfigured talking rabbit, or whatever it was that called itself Sakura's guide and helper.

"Oh, Sakura-chan? Perhaps it would be wise if you stay with Syaoran-kun tonight in his house, I feel it not the best idea for you to go back outside for a while with those men roaming around, wouldn't you agree?"

I nodded my head in agreement to Fay's suggestion, the last thing I would want to happen to her was to get attacked again without anyone around to help her. I at least wanted to keep an eye on her until I could be satisfied with the fact she is safely in her own home.

I watched Sakura shyly nod her head and look at me with questioning eyes.

" Are you sure that is okay Syaoran-kun? …I don't want to be a burden.", her eyes casting towards the ground with unease and her fingers nervously wringing around together.

" Not at all. You are more than welcome, I won't feel comfortable until I know for sure you are home safely. Stay the night, better here than out there where those goons are.", I smiled watching her face light up in delight.

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I stretched my arms over my head while waiting for the tea to warm up, watching from the corner of my eye at Sakura and Mokona laughing and talking while they ate their share of dinner. I poured two small mugs full of the liquid that steamed up with a comforting aroma and set it in front of Sakura who nodded her head in thanks and took my seat at the other end of the table and took a slow gulp of my tea and grabbing a piece of the loaf of bread from the metal plate in the center of the table and took a bite out of it. Not the freshest, but it will do for tonight.

I stared at Sakura , wondering, just why would such men would be chasing her. She couldn't have possibly done anything wrong, she seemed so blameless. Everything about her was so innocent, her laugh, her smile, heck her entire presence. The whole thing boggled me though and I did plan to ask her about it later, not tonight, but in the morning before I took her home. If she did have a home…..

Sakura raised her eyebrows at me watching me stare at her dumbfounded before I shook my head and laughed in embarrassment.

" Miss Sakura, tonight you can have my bed, after what happened today I think you need a nice rest." I replied to switch from the fact that I was caught yet again staring at her, afraid I was already coming on to her quite weird.

" But what about you!?", Sakura asked in panic while I just smiled calmly back.

" Don't worry, I'll stay in the chair that is in the corner of the bedroom, I'll stay up to keep watch nothing suspicious is going on." I indicated by pointing towards the room where a large rocking chair sat beside a small table where a candle light lamp glowed.

" But your rest…", Sakura sadly continued before I stood up and walked behind her pulling out her chair and placed my hands on her shoulders and guided her to the bedroom.

" I'll be fine, I have stayed up plenty of nights for Fay doing his work. I'm use to it, plus I just want to be sure no one had followed us or is planning anything."

I gave Sakura a confident smile as she slipped under the white sheets of my bed while I grabbed the folded woven blanket at the end of the bed and laid it on her.

" You just sleep in peace, okay?" I grinned before walking away to go to the corner of the room until my wrist was tugged back.

I turned around and Sakura's grasp around my wrist slipped to where her hand squeezed mine as she looked up at me with those jade green eyes that till this day I still see when I close mine.

" I trust you, Syaoran-kun.", was all she softly said, and I squeezed her hand back.

" That's all I want."

_To be continued……._

**Like omigaaaaaaaw! It has been ****forever**** since I have done a new story. Especially a Tsubasa one. Well, I sort of have an excuse, I kind of lit my old computer on fire and lost all my stories ( cries). **_**BUT, **_**I got a new one for my birthday! Yaaaay!!!!**

**I hope you guys enjoyed the beginning of this new story, I thought I would put Syaoran and Sakura in a different time ( I love the idea of the 19****th**** century, so romantic….) I blame watching Nadia for this but you guys enjoy and tell me what you think!**

**Peace and love**

**-Detectivegirl2005**


	2. Safety

**In Safe Hands Chapter 2**

**part i.**

" So what are we to do with her Syaoran-kun?"

It was four AM and Fay-san and I stood outside the door where Sakura slept keeping our voices in a low deep tone. I wondered if she was truly asleep, but instead really listening to us.

Running a hand through my hair, I stayed silent to listen to her breathing behind the closed door. It was still calm and even, she was definitely not awake yet, just quiet shifts of blankets being pulled on. Fay saw me look at the door hesitating with my response, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

" You do realize we are in a bit of a complexity, don't you?", his placid eyes focused on mine.

I knew what he meant, the way that group of men were chasing her down , we knew trouble was coming. Probably even worse was the case that I interfered and I was now involved. Not only did I put myself into risk, I may have put everyone into a more dangerous situation that may get out of hand if it isn't ended soon.

" The local townsmen came and told me this morning that seizures of households and businesses have been erupting out since last night by a couple of mysterious men.", Fay continued, his eyes leaving mine and towards the window in the kitchen.

" It's probably only matter of time until they make their way towards our area…"

My eyebrows burrowed together as I swallowed at the dry spot in the back of my throat. I wasn't scared, definitely not. Just more disappointed in myself that I put everyone in a bad situation without thinking my actions through fighting those men. I just wanted to keep _her_ safe from them. My actions weren't uncalled for, it was the right thing to do, something any right person would do. I had no regrets.

"…And you do know what they are after too, right?"

My hand involuntary went towards the door and stayed there as my teeth began to grit together. I knew they were looking for her, I just didn't know why. She was only a **girl, ** someone who looked and sounded to be no danger to the world, what could they possibly want with her?

" It's okay.", I whispered making Fay look back at me.

" I already decided that I wouldn't let anything or _anyone_ touch her until I am sure she is safe elsewhere. That's the right thing to do, isn't it?", I asked my eyes staring right back into his.

He was the first to break into a smile from the tension, squeezing my shoulder as he gave a silent nod of his head.

" What any good man would do."

I smiled in thanks and went into the room where Sakura slept and closed the door behind me as softly I could. I turned around, my back against the door, watching her chest heave up down slowly as she held that white creature towards her chest smiling in her sleep.

I definitely found no logical reasoning for what these men could want out of her. She was too innocent to blamed or chased down for anything.

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**part ii.**

" Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy!", the white creature squealed in delight as he took another bite of his strawberry covered toast waving his stubby arms in excitement.

One of Fay's specialties was making his own jam spread from various fruits and even vegetables. Fay smiled in delight at Sakura and Mokona eating at the table while I sat at the other end polishing my Winchester Carbine rifle. Every once and a while I would catch Sakura glance at me and the gun I held between my legs and then go back to eating her food.

She must've been frightened from seeing it at the table once waking up while I finished loading bullets in it and stuffing the rest in a small leather bag. Small weapons were scattered at the far end of the table by me that had been recently shined and sharpened in preparation that had been worked on since the early hours of the morning. It was clearly shown on her face that she didn't find this the most comforting sight to see, at all.

She could no longer hold back when I picked up the gun and aimed it at the far end of the room, focusing out of my left eye, pretending there was a some sort of object or person in front of me.

" Um Syaoran-kun…", she started with hesitation.

" Yes, Miss Sakura?", not removing eyes from the gun or the position I was in.

" Dare I ask what you are to do with that…_weapon?_", her voice clearly filled with concern about my intentions. Especially with the gun.

I smiled setting the gun down and resting my chin on the butt of it.

" Precaution, Miss Sakura."

I heard Fay bellow a laugh in the background.

She looked at the gun again and back to me, her brow creasing in worry.

" Do you intend to _harm_ someone or something with it?", she asked her voice low in a hushed tone.

I stood up and walked over to set the gun by the window panel in the classroom we stayed in and sat back down in my chair and looked back at her calmly.

" No ma'm. Only to _protect_.", I replied watching her eyes carefully as they widened and then look away as if pained with, which seemed as, guilt.

Sakura didn't respond back but only went back to looking back at her plate that held a half eaten piece of strawberry covered toast. The room fell silent and stayed that way until she stood up and gathered Mokona's empty dish that sat on the table across from her. She stacked hers on top of the creatures' and removed herself from the table before stopping herself and looking back at me with those jade eyes, that to this day are forever imprinted in my memory.

" Just don't do anything unnecessary for my sake, please.", and with that she left the room to leave me in silence.

Fay was stifling his laughter as he came up from behind me, a smile so wide that it could touch both ends of the room. I looked at him with only confusion and he couldn't help but to laugh then.

" She's a smart girl!", Fay replied to my perplexed face through chuckles leaving the room following Sakura.

A small four wheeled black painted locomobile sat on the top of a cliff that hovered over an octagon shaped building where three men stood guard watching every movement that occurred throughout that building for the day. One of the three sat in the car lighting a cigarette and digging in the pocket of his coat to pull out a watch. The man growled when looking at the time, stuffed the watch back into his pocket and jumped out of the car toward the other two men that sat on the edge of the cliff, one watching through a pair a of binoculars and the other, bored stiff, aiming around with his gun.

" Listen up.", the man barked out in a low gruff foreign accent.

" I think it's about time to pay our clients with a visit. We have some unfinished business to attend to." The man's lips curled showing his yellow pointed teeth, his hand lifting to touch the long scar along his jaw line as he said this.

The two men looked at each other with a nod before standing before the other. The man with the binoculars tossed them into the car and leapt into the drivers seat while the one with the gun smiled widely and stuffed the gun inside his coat and jumped into the back seat while the other got into the passenger seat

" Let's go get that lass back to us." the man with toothy smile grinned, tossing the finished cigarette behind him as the car sped off.

--------------------------------------------

I watched as Sakura and Mokona played a game of cards together, Sakura clearly frustrated as this was her fifth time being outdone by Mokona again.

" Mokona out rules Sakura-Chan in everything again!", the white creature cheered as it paraded around in a small circle.

" Oh hush! Let's have another round!", Sakura whined throwing her cards against the ground.

My lips slowly curled up into a smile after watching the two for half the day playing card games and ranting at each other if one was cheating or not. They were both like kids when they were around each other. I had meant to get Sakura alone today and have a chance to_really_ get to know her. I wanted to know where she was from, why was she here, why these men were after her. This girl really seemed to perk up my curiosity like nothing else, with her around my life felt suddenly no longer ordinary.

" Syaoran-kun?"

The crease in my forehead disappeared as my thought process came to a halt when noticing that emerald green eyes were right in front of mine.

" Y-yes, Miss Sakura?", I stuttered noticing the proximity of how close her face was to mine.

She smiled as my eyes rolled up where she placed an index finger on the brow of my forehead.

" You looked so intent in your thoughts when I asked if you wanted to join us, I guess that's why you didn't hear me!"

I placed two fingers to the place where her finger was watching her pull up a chair next to mine. I mentally scowled at myself for getting so flustered around her, trying desperately to get control over of my pounding heart as it pulsed blood right into my face as she sat down next to me.

" What's on your mind, Miss Sakura?", I said, this time a little more steady.

" That's what I should be asking you!", she laughed as I smiled back.

" Too much to tell you at the moment, honestly."

" Oh?" she asked her eyebrows raising. " Then let's start out small, then.", she smiled at me, her green eyes glowing as she folded her hands into her lap ready to listen.

If I kept looking into those eyes of hers any longer I may have not been able to speak at all, but I quickly shook it away and coughed into my hand.

" Well, I was wondering what is going to happen next. I mean, what's going to happen for you next." I looked into her eyes as she watched me.

" Oh.", her eyes looked away from mine.

" That, and also I have many questions for you, like where are you from Miss Sakura, why are you here at a small place like this, what is with th-"

She cut me off as her short honey-dew hair shook from side to side.

" There's nothing you need to know of then I am just of not this area." , she looked back up to me with those same serious green eyes as earlier today.

" I planned already to leave tonight, I over welcomed my stay anyway."

I was taken aback for a moment, sitting in silence as she stood up and put her chair back into the table. Why would she leave so soon? Without me even knowing anything about her, just to let her suddenly disappear into the night just like she suddenly appeared before me the other day.

" W-Wait, Miss Sakura." I stood up leaning forward to grab the back of her wrist.

She turned around looking up at me in surprise as I stared back at her with my eyebrows furrowed together in worry. No way, absolutely no way was I going to let her go with some goons after her.

" I can't just accept that."

" Excuse you?", she placed a hand on mine that held onto her wrist.

I was baffled that she couldn't realize the danger she was putting herself in and it was amazingly making me increasingly angry with her.

" Don't you realize you have some group of men out there looking to probably harm you or worse? ", I snapped out " Do you even care just a little, have some fear at all?"

I immediately regretted the tone I took with her seeing the pain flash in her eyes once I said it.

" Of course I'm scared…" she softly spoke out. " But I don't want to get anyone involved, I don't want anyone getting hurt for my sake!"

I let go of her wrist and let her stand in front of me as we both stood in silence. I think I began to understand why she wanted to stay a loner. She didn't want to carry the burden of guilt on her, she wanted to make sure that no one, what ever was happening, would get hurt in the process.

" But," I started, breaking the stillness, as I grabbed her hand in my own " what if that person wants to get hurt for your sake?"

She looked into my eyes with wide emerald ones, her mouth opening to say something when Fay came crashing into the room frantically.

" Syaoran, Sakura, and Mokona! It's time to leave, now!", Fay said boldly as he gathered various items into a medium sized shoulder leather bag.

" What's going on, Fay-san?" I questioned panic starting to fill me as I pushed Sakura and Mokona into the back of the building grabbing my rifle on my way out.

"All of you get into my car and take the route that I have showed you once before Syaoran-kun when situations like this came up. You know where to go.", he said as he ran into his office and dug underneath his desk to pull out that old book that I bought not long ago.

Fay shoved it into my chest and smiled that awkward smile he always does as he led me out of the back of the building.

" But Fay-san! Why are you giving this-"

" I don't want those men taking it. Protect that girl Syaoran-kun she will lead you where you need to go." Fay smiled, his blue eyes calm.

With that he closed the door of the driver seat where I sat and patted my back.

" But what about you?" I asked worry filled in my voice.

" What about me? I'll be fine." Fay grinned before his calm eyes turned hard as if he knew something was coming very soon.

" Now go, right now."

I started the car without anymore questioning and pressed my foot on the gas pedal and sped off into the woods where a route where bushes and tree branches hid it was open.

Fay smiled again and waved with his long arm before turning around and entering the house where not much longer three men forced their way inside.

" Welcome gentlemen." Fay greeted, still with a smile on his face.

The woods blurred past us as we raced up the route took us in the car. Sakura sat silently in the passenger seat with Mokona pressed against her face as it whimpered out in fear. Those men had found us, and Fay was making us go without him. I had the thought of turning halfway around and going back to help him but I knew I couldn't, not while she was with me. I kept going until I could start seeing where the woods would spit us out into a pasture, almost there until I heard it. Five large gun shots that echoed throughout the woods where Fay was and I knew exactly what happened and what that meant.

Sakura jolted out of her seat and then sat back down, her body completely tense like my own. We kept moving along until we were completely out of the woods and I brought the car to hide behind an old shattered house that lived in the pasture.

I got out silently not looking behind me and went to go kneel against the house. My head was spinning, I couldn't think. My hand pressed up against my eyes, I didn't want her to see me like this when I knew what just happened.

Fay gave up his life to protect us, to protect her, and I couldn't help him at all. He was dead because of those men, because of me for getting Fay involved. My hand started to become wet as tears rolled into it.

" Dammint…" , I cursed at myself as my head leaned back against the house wall.

That's when I felt a hand cup the side of my face and another gently pull the hand that covered my eyes away.

" Please..", I heard Sakura's soft voice cry out as I began to look at her through blurry vision.

" Don't blame yourself.", she whispered as she used the back of her hand to wipe away my tears and push my head into her chest as one hand ran through my hair.

" Blame me….please, for my sake, hate me for this.", she choked out, plops of water dropping onto my head where she rested hers on mine as we both sat on the ground.

" I can't." I slowly spoke out. My head lifting to see her face dripping with tears like my own. " I could never." , I whispered out watching her body shake with sobs before encircling her arms around my waist and collapsing into my chest.

" Why?" was all she choked out before breaking down while all I could do is hold onto her throughout it all.

_To be continued……….._

_**Like wow, it has been waaaaay to long since I have updated! It really took me a while to do this chapter but now I think I can really get a roll on with the rest after some more brain storming. I hope you enjoyed and don't worry, I'll be bringing some ( a lot more) fluff into this story so you just gotta keep reading and reviewing, okay!? Cool beans, then. More to come and until then press that purple button on the bottom left corner of your screen and write me up of what you thought!**_

_**--Detectivegirl2005**_


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